Back Story: Pot’s Gray Market/ For some seniors, cannabis is an old story with new wrinkles – The San Diego Union

For today’s Back Story, staff writer Peter Rowe is quizzed about his story on older consumers of cannabis.

Q. What prompted this story?

A. Several reporters whose assignments had taken them to cannabis dispensaries noted that the customers ranged from young hipsters to gray-haired retirees. My editor, Mark Platte, encouraged me to explore the experience of the elder cannabis consumer.

Q. How did you report this story?

A. Following my colleagues’ lead, I visited three dispensaries and called a fourth. This was a hit and miss process — some places were overflowing with retirees, while others seemed to attract nothing but millenials. For historical perspective on seniors’ attitudes toward marijuana, I consulted both Gallup and the Pew Research Center. UC San Diego provided valuable information on cannabis’ promise as a medicinal tool — and on the tricky business of finding the proper dose.